tonight, a special edition of "world news." bracing for the superstorm. 60 million americans on alert, from the carolinas up through maine. anyone east of the mississippi. three systems about to collide at once. 70-mile-per-hour winds barrelling toward the coast tonight. storm surges up to 12 feet high. a foot of rain. several feet of snow in some places. tonight, the massive evacuations under way. subways shut down. thousands of planes grounded. and school now canceled for millions of children. our extreme weather team, where the storm is already hitting. >> we're in the middle of a blizzard. >> abc's sam champion and the central question, why is this a superstorm? and ginger zee, right where sandy is expected to make landfall. why the full moon could make it even worse. "world news" team coverage starts now.

good evening on this sunday night. as we come on this air, you can see it swirling right over my shoulder here. what's being called a superstorm tonight. hurricane sandy is more than 200 miles off the coast, about to crash into two other systems when it makes landfall. take a look at this tonight. this is the imagery from space. a massive storm, 1,000 miles across. long before it makes landfall sometime tomorrow night, it is already being felt on the coastline. whipping winds and rains have flooded many communities. the number of americans impacted by this storm will be enormous. 60 million people, really anyone east of the mississippi will be affected. hundreds of thousands have already been evacuated tonight. this evening, we learned schools are closed for 2 million children across seven states and washington, d.c. as they ask, what about halloween? and, tonight, the potential damage zone, reaching 800 miles inland from the east coast.

this evening, blizzard warnings have gone up in some parts of the country. and extreme weather team all over it tonight. sam champion, on the storm track tonight, but we're going to begin with abc's matt gutman. matt, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, david, from a very welt and surprisingly cold outer banks in north carolina, where a glancing blow from sandy has been absolutely punishing. we've been measuring wind gusts here at over 60 miles per hour. over the past 24 hours, this weather has been relentless. the waves, the wind, all of this rain has been coming in, gives you a sense of the length of this storm, which is still 260 miles out at sea. now, couple of communities like cape hatteras have been cut off because of flooding here. all of this foam that you see around me everywhere, this is sea foam. a lot of people out there think hurricanes are purely tropical systems, but this is absolutely cold. you can feel it getting icier

been the hour as this system moves northward. david? >> matt gutman, our thanks to you. and we want to ask this question, everyone's been asking today, why is this being called a superstorm, and where is the track right now? let's bring in sam champion in lower manhattan, where there could be a huge storm surge. sam, let's start with the track. where is sandy right now? >> reporter: all right, so, david, let's look at it and show you the latest from the her cape center. there's not been much change from yesterday to today. if you look at the track, you may see the -- by the way, let me just mention, as you said, david, this cloud canopy goes from the carolinas all the way past hudson bay and canada, almost into the arctic circle there. unbelievable. but that shift in the track, ever so slight, if you look right around tuesday at 2:00 a.m., that atlantic city line. it's been weaving a little bit on new jersey, where the center of that path would be. but that's not that important, other than where the major water will go, with that storm surge. the rest of the affects, the wind and rain, david, will be

felt from the mid-atlantic well into new england for at least two days. >> back to that question i asked there a moment ago, so many people wondering why is this being called a superstorm? >> reporter: david, i think the best way to tell people that is show them on a graphic that we put together. it's a 3d graphic that will show you all three elements. it's easier to look at it once you see them. all night long, sandy marches up the east coast, practically parallel. more than 200 miles offshore. it will collide with an arctic front coming in from the west, throwing a new dose of energy into the storm and expanding its already monther size and reach. then, inject the 1 150-mile-per-hour plus winds of the jet stream and forecasters think sandy explodes into a superstorm. and so when you see something like that, then you realize this is not just a hurricane, this is a totally different animal. there is nothing we can compare it to, a storm system in the northeast, in the atlantic, it's

very difficult to say this is going to be like any other storm, because it's really cutting brand new territory. there are the elements that are a problem here, no matter what kind of storm moves onshore. there's the storm surge and sandy looks like it's going have a big one. as you said, david, there's estimates that the storm surge here will be above 11 feet. we looked back, we can't see ever, 1960, there was one incident of ten feet of water in new york harbor and that was the most up until that point. we haven't seen anything that would approach the 11.5 estimate. you can see how the storm surge is all up and down the coastline. because this storm is so large. then, take a look at the wind field. any of those areas, in red, we're going to see 60 to 80-mile-per-hour wind gusts for a good part of that area. anywhere 70 to 80 miles per hour, that's very strong wind. they go all the way inland to pittsburgh. and there's the rainfall totals here. this is soaking rain. we've been adjusting where the heaviest rain will be. it looks like central new jersey south to the delmarva peninsula,

and inland, again, almost to pittsburgh. but not that much of a difference. 4 to 6 inches is just as flood worthy as anything in the center of that storm, david. >> very serious, sam. blizzard warnings up now, as well? >> reporter: oh, yeah, david. that's something else we have to talk about. 1 to 2 feet of snow above 3,000 feet. for the mountains of west virginia. the national weather service in charleston put them out. six states that have winter storm watches or warnings out right now. so, that's the secondary, well, i don't know, probably the fourth element of this storm to worry about once we get the wind, the rain and the surge through, david. >> all right, sam champion, thank you. we'll check back in with you shortly. as you heard sam report there, sandy will most likely come ashore right near atlantic city in new jersey. this evening, major evacuations under way, and the national hurricane center is warning there could be life threatening storm surges there.

abc merlg ginger zee is in atlantic city tonight. >> reporter: david, this bro broadwalk is lined with sandbags. the casinos are empty. we could get 10 to 20 foot waves here. this whole thing could be under water by tuesday morning. so, this is certainly ground zero for when this beast comes on shore. it's a mandatory ghost town in atlantic city. the boardwalk, boarded up. the customary ka-ching of casino floors silent. tolls were waved to get people out fast. buses lined up to take those who couldn't leave on their own to the shelters around the city. they're preparing here for a direct hit. >> we have to get the boards up because of the weather. >> reporter: you don't intend to leave? >> we tried to leave. we couldn't find anywhere to go. we didn't want to be in a shelter. >> reporter: we found john and his friend borrowing santd from the beach and bringing it home.

>> have to bag up the house. >> reporter: you figured, just grab it from the beach? >> right, right. we have to use the trash bags for now. >> reporter: dan lives right on the shore but he's getting out. you're worried? >> yeah, i'm really worried. they just told a friend of mine, say, they think it's going to hit the bay, the bay and the ocean is going to come together. >> reporter: much of the 200 miles of jersey shore is a series of barrier islands with water on both sides. so, the concern isn't just about storm surge piling up from the ocean. it's also about storm surge coming off of bays just like this one, pushing into homes luke these on the other side of these their owe isla narrow isl. the storm comes at a bad time, as well, during a full moon. any surf will be especially dangerous. one last note for you. inland flooding will be an issue. west of philadelphia, anywhere like harrisburg or baltimore, we're watching for the rivers

and little creeks to really fill up. we'll be watching and chasing the storm. back to you. >> ginger, our thanks to you. the federal government just announcing moments ago it will shut down washington tomorrow. and here in new york city tonight, there's a state of emergency under way. authorities are scrambling to keep more than 8 million people sa safe. and look at this picture. one of the many subway entrances here in new york, this one in times square, the subway will be shut down within the hour. the last passengers getting on to get on and weekend "gma" anchor right there in times square tonight. >> reporter: good evening, david. they are getting ready to shut this place down. not only are all the broadway theaters going dork, but as you mentioned, america's largest subway system is about to halt service. look at the sign behind me. two words. system shutdown. tonight in the city that normally never sleeps, not only are they shutting down the subways and the broadway shows, but they are taping up the

windows at department stores, can receiving public school classes and ordering 375,000 people to evacuate low-lying areas. >> if you don't evacuate, you are just putting your own life, not just your own life in danger, you are also endangering the lives of our first responders who may have to come in and rescue you. >> reporter: the mayor warning people who live in high rises to stay away from the windows, which could be blown out by flying debris. but e big risk to new york city is the storm surge. water, gushing in from the harbor, over the city's flood watt, pouring into the subway tunnels and roads and underground power transformers, potentially causing billions in damage. >> if it hits the maximum tide, then i'm afraid we are in pretty bad trouble. >> reporter: last year, during tropical storm irene, the waters came within less than a foot from topping the flood walls. and now, sandy's storm surge is

predicted to be even stronger. since irene failed to do the damage here in new york city that many predicted, some people, like this family, who live in the evacuation zone, are refusing to heed the warnings for sandy. >> we have diapers, we have water. you know, just hoping to make the best of it. >> reporter: there are long lines as the supermarket tonight. >> it really is a mad house. >> reporter: yeah. >> like, oh, my god. >> reporter: the streets are crackling not with panic but with with an upbeat, pre-apocalyptic vibe. >> i'm a new yorker. come on, what do you want to do? >> reporter: got to admire her spirit. one piece of breaking news from here in new york. we just learned that the stock market will be closed tomorrow. there were concerns if they tried to stay open, they might lose power during the course of the day. back to you. >> and a few people over your shoulder still getting into the subway. dan harris, thank you. and in addition to the subway shutdown in new york city, air travel is shutting down tonight, as well. so far, more than 6,000 flights

have been canceled. ripple effects around the country will be huge. abc's lisa stark is in washington tonight. >> reporter: at new york's laguardia airport, a mad house today as travelers scramble to get out before the storm comes in. >> we're trying to get back to raleigh, north carolina, and we're stuck. >> we're basically almost having nervous breakdowns. >> reporter: the airlines are taking no chances, starting to cancel flights tonight, from washington, d.c. northward. and on monday, united, delta, southwest, american, jet blue and us airways all announcing they will be closed for business on the east coast. a massive shutdown that will ripple nationwide. >> when there are flight cancellations in major hub cities like new york, like philadelphia, like washington, d.c., that affects travelers all over the country. >> reporter: airlines will remove planes from airports in the hurricane's path and hope they can fly back in on tuesday.

train travel, too, coming to a standstill. amtrak canceling trains north of new york tonight and virtually all east coast service on monday. now, we're told that folks are spending hours on the phone trying to get through to their airlines. the best advice, go online, even use twitter to reach your carrier. once the storm passes, the airlines start up again, it will still take a good three to four days to get air travel back to normal. david? >> what a mess this week is going to be. lisa stark at reagan national. lisa, thank you. as we mention, downed power lines could keep millions in the dark long after the storm has passed. already, an army of power company workers are on their way from as far away as oklahoma, like these from ohio. david kerley is in rehoboth beach, delaware, with a different forecast map. david, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, david. as these waves continue to crash, you are right. an army is headed this direction. an army of utility workers, because if the predictions are

right, these lights are going to go out and those workers are going to be extremely busy. the power was going out even before the full force of sandy hit shore. >> see the fuse? >> reporter: larry jackson knows the worst is still to come. >> 16 hour days. >> reporter: thousands of utility workers are in their trucks and headed east tonight, to repair what are expected to be massive power outages. these beach vacationers packed up to head home, inland. >> actually, the aftermath is what we're concerned about. >> reporter: no power. >> right. and for days. >> reporter: the power outages are expected to be widespread. >> it may take a long time not only to clear, but also to get, for example, the power companies back in. >> reporter: during hurricane irene last year, about 6 million homes lost electricity. this researcher plugged in all the information into a new program and he believes this will be worse. >> our estimate at this point is 10 million. it could be higher. could be lower. >> reporter: 10 million or more

without power for a week to ten days. which is why this wisconsin company has added extra shifts, trying to build also many portable generators as quickly as possible. officials worry that residents might misuse some of those generators, putting them indoors or stringing extension cords dangerously. many seem to be heeding the warnings, checking off their lists of preparedness. batteries, water, nonperishable food. >> i'm nervous about losing power. i'm nervous about the storm. >> reporter: now, of course, if a power line goes down with a limb, the advice is, leave the line alone, leave the tree trim alone, as well. let the power company take care of it. >> david kerley with us here tonight. david, thank you. there's still much more ahead on "world news" this sunday night. the schumerstorm scramble inside the political campaigns tonight. could this storm effect who wins? the president forced to put campaigning aside tonight. and, for millions of american children, what does this mean for halloween? later here on the broadcast, we'll ask sam champion for the

halloween forecast, as we track hurricane sandy on this special edition of "world news" tonight. [ male announcer ] when it comes to the financial obstacles military families face, we understand. at usaa, we know military life is different. we've been there. that's why every bit of financial advice we offer is geared specifically to current and former military members and their families. [ laughs ] dad! dad! [ applause ] ♪ [ male announcer ] life brings obstacles. usaa brings advice. call or visit us online. we're ready to help. throughout our lives. one a day men's 50+ is a complete multi-vitamin designed for men's health concerns as we age. it has more of 7 antioxidants to support cell health. one a day men's 50+.

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tomorrow. and look at this tonight. it all comes as the latest abc news poll shows this is a dead heat, mitt romney, ahead of president obama by just one point, 49% to 48%. and with a race this tight, a big question tonight -- could the hurricane upend this final stretch? here's abc's senior political correspondent jon karl tonight. >> reporter: it's mother nature's october surprise. a storm so big and so destructive, it could throw the campaign's final week into chaos. >> the storm will throw a little bit of havoc into the race. >> reporter: for president obama, it meant canceling two upcoming events and visiting fema headquarters, vowing an immediate response to the storm. >> we're going to cut through red tape, we're not going to get bogged down with a lot of rules. we want to make sure we are anticipating and leaning forward. >> reporter: there are political stakes, too. a chance for the president to show decisive leadership or to take the blame if the response is bungled. all told, 16 campaign events

have already been canceled. mitt romney canceled three in virginia, moving westward to ohio, where he met up with paul ryan. >> today, when we get home, put in our prayers the people who are in the east coast, in the wake of this big storm that's coming. let's not forget those fellow americans of ours. >> reporter: with just nine days left, the race is as close as ever. a point dramatized in a new obama ad, reminding voters that the 2000 race was decided by a mere 537 votes in florida. >> if you're thinking that your vote doesn't count, that it won't matter, well, back then, there were probably at least 537 people who felt the same way. >> reporter: and mitt romney has picked up the endorsements of two iowa newspapers that supported obama last time. one that hasn't supported a republican since richard nixon. with the storm coming and the race so tight, both campaigns are trying to bank as many votes as possible in states with early voting. with lines especially long in

virginia and maryland. and the campaign goes on. mitt romney campaigning here in ohio today and the president hitting the trail tomorrow in florida and right back here in ohio. david? >> the political storm caused by the hurricane, too. jon karl, thank you. when we come back here tonight, we can't forget the other big event of the week, halloween. tonight, one spectacular before and after. look at this pumpkin. in a moment here, you won't believe what it turned into. i have a cold... i took dayquil, but i still have a runny nose.

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and now to the "world news" "instant index" tonight, the pictures, the people that caught our eye this weekend. like lady liberty tonight. about to get whipped by winds from sandy. but a quick celebration today, just ahead of the storm. the crown of the statue reopening today, on its 126th birthday. the $30 million makeover includes new stairs and an elevator. with halloween this week, let's hope it's not completely wiped out. look at this snap shot. spectacular pumpkin carving. ray took on three giant gourds, like at this one. one of them weighing 1,900 pounds. armed with saws and knives, his team hacked away to create this creepy scene right here, a zombie. closeup right there of the zombie's face. and the number catching our eye tonight, 9 billion. that's how many of those little can can i corns will be made this halloween.

the head of the factory telling us, the not so secret ingredient of candy corn, and this is a quote here, sugar, sugar and more sugar. of course, the big question tonight, will halloween itself survive? millions of children have their costumes ready. we'll check back with sam in a moment, what this hurricane means for halloween. you should know that axiron is here. the only underarm treatment for low t. that's right, the one you apply to the underarm. axiron is not for use in women or anyone younger than 18. axiron can transfer to others through direct contact. women, especially those who are or who may become pregnant, and children should avoid contact where axiron is applied as unexpected signs of puberty in children or changes in body hair or increased acne in women may occur. report these signs and symptoms to your doctor if they occur. tell your doctor about all medical conditions and medications. do not use if you have prostate or breast cancer. serious side effects could include increased risk of prostate cancer; worsening prostate symptoms; decreased sperm count; ankle, feet, or body swelling; enlarged or painful breasts; problems breathing while sleeping;

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look, the reason i'm in this racece is there are people that are really hurting today in this country. and we fa this deficit -- could crush the future generations. and republicans and democrats both love america but we need to have leadership -- leadership in washington that will actually bring people together and get the job done and could not care less if it's a republican or a democrat. i' done it before, i'll do itin again. i'm mitt romney, and i approve this message.

a lot of kids out there watching with their parents tonight, remembering last year this time, there was a snowstorm. sam, is halloween ruined again this year? >> reporter: david, i'm standing here looking at the path, the expected track of this storm, that by wednesday is in western new york state, by friday, it's all the way up to maine and also canada, so, anywhere from michigan to maine, to virginia, from wednesday all the way through thursday and into friday, we're still seeing the affects of this storm, daichd, so, it's not the best in those areas, certainly. >> all right, abc's sam champion is going to be on this all night long. first thing in the morning, the entire team on "good morning america" and of course, diane sawyer right here at the desk tomorrow night. stay safe, everyone. good night. anncr: it's said that character is what we do...

when we think no one is looking. mitt romney: believe that they are victims. anncr: mitt romney thought no one was looking when... he attacked forty-seven percent of americans. his plan cuts millionaires' taxes, but raises yours. he'll voucherize medicare... and make catastrophic cuts to education. so remember what romney said... and what his plan would do. president obama: i'm barack obama and... i approve this message.